The Large Sutra ... Chapter 3.1, Plying

Translated by Kumārajīva, Sengrui, et al in Yao Qin times, 384-417 CE

[[[In the Cinnabar edition, Chapter 3 is called 'Plying Congruence']]]

@182 The buddha said to Śāriputra: While bodhisattvas, great beings, are coursing in perfect wisdom, they should so ponder: Bodhisattva is a mere word, buddha is also a mere word, and perfect wisdom also, mere words. Form is a mere word, feeling, perception, impulse and consciousness— all mere words. Śāriputra, as self is a mere word, no permanent self can be found. A living being, a soul, a life, a being born, growing up, humankind, a human being, a doer, an enabler of doing, a starter, an enabler of starting, a feeler, an enabler of feeling, a cognizer, a reviewer— none of these can be found. They cannot be found based on emptiness, and are merely used as names for speaking. So, too, bodhisattvas, great beings, course in perfect wisdom, not reviewing a self, not reviewing living beings— and so forth to, not reviewing a cognizer, a reviewer— whatever names are spoken, those, too, are not reviewable.

@183 Bodhisattvas, great beings, who would course in perfect wisdom like this, buddha wisdom aside,??[[[除佛智慧]]] surpass all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, on an emptiness cannot be found basis. For what reason? These bodhisattvas, great beings are named dharmas and wherever names occur, they too cannot be found, that is the basis. Śāriputra, bodhisattvas, great beings, who can course like this, are said to course in perfect wisdom. Like the bamboo that fills Jambudvīpa, the hemp, the rice, the grasses, (given) a similar number of monks, with wisdom like Śāriputra, Maudgalyāyana, and others, compared to bodhisattvas coursing in perfect wisdom, their wisdom is not a hundredth part, not a thousandth part, not a hundred thousandth part. On what basis? Bodhisattvas, great beings, use wisdom to rescue all living beings, on that basis.

@184 Śāriputra, Fill Jambudvīpa with the likes of Śāriputra, Maudgalyāyana, and others. Fill the universe with the likes of Śāriputra, Maudgalyāyana, and others. Do this again, fill world systems throughout the ten directions, numerous as the grains of sand in the River Ganges, with the likes of Śāriputra, Maudgalyāyana, and others, compared to bodhisattvas coursing in perfect wisdom, their wisdom would not be a hundredth part, not a thousandth or a hundred thousandth part— and so forth to, it is beyond the reach of analogy by number.

@185 Moreover, Śāriputra, bodhisattvas, great beings, who course in perfect wisdom and for one day train in wisdom, surpass all śravakas and pratyekabuddhas.

@186 Śāriputra said to the buddha: Lord, the wisdom of the śrāvakas, stream-winners, once-returners, never-returners, arhats, pratyekabuddhas and buddhas— these varieties of wisdom do not differ from one another, are not in conflict with each other, being unborn, and empty in essential nature. If dharmas are not in conflict with each other, unborn, and empty in essential nature, and those dharmas do not differ, why did the Lord say: Bodhisattvas, great beings, who course in perfect wisdom and for one day train in wisdom, surpass śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas?

@187 The buddha said to Śāriputra: What do you think? Bodhisattvas, great beings, who course in perfect wisdom and for one day train in wisdom, and will think to themselves: I course in the wisdom of the path to benefit all living beings. I shall by means of the knowledge of all modes, know all dharmas, and save all living beings. Would this occur in the wisdom of a śrāvaka, or a pratyekabuddha? Śāriputra: No, indeed, O Lord.

@188 Śāriputra, What do you think? Would this thought occur to a śrāvaka, or a pratyekabuddha: I should win full enlightenment to save all living beings, to enable them to attain the nirvana that leaves nothing behind? Śāriputra: No, indeed, O Lord.

The buddha said to Śāriputra: Upon this basis, you should recognize that the wisdom of a śrāvaka, or a pratyekabuddha compared to that of bodhisattvas is not a hundredth part —and so forth to, it is beyond the reach of analogy by number.

@189 Śāriputra, What do you think? Would this thought occur to a śrāvaka, or a pratyekabuddha: I course in the six perfections to mature living beings, to transmute world systems into paradises [[[莊嚴世界]]], to become equipped with the ten powers of a buddha, the four grounds of self-confidence, the four unimpeded cognitions, the eighteen dharmas special to a buddha, to rescue innumerable living beings and enable them to attain nirvana? Śāriputra: No, indeed, O Lord.

@190 The buddha said to Śāriputra: But bodhisattvas, great beings, are able to think: I must course in the six perfections— and so forth to, the eighteen dharmas special to a buddha to succeed at full enlightenment, to rescue innumerable living beings and enable them to attain nirvana. Like a firefly wouldn't think: I am able to illuminate everything throughout the whole of Jambudvīpa, just so, arhats and pratyekabuddhas also don't think: we course in the six perfections— and so forth to, the eighteen dharmas special to a buddha, to win full enlightenment, to rescue innumerable living beings and enable them to attain nirvana.

@191 Śāriputra, Just as when the sun comes out, it shines throughout Jambudvīpa, excluding nothing from the light, so, too, bodhisattvas, who course in the six perfections— and so forth to, the eighteen dharmas special to a buddha, win full enlightenment in order to rescue innumerable living beings and enable them to attain nirvana.

Chapter 3.2

@192 Śāriputra said to the buddha: How do bodhisattvas, great beings, pass beyond the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha levels, and dwell on the level of a never-returner and purify the buddhapath?

@193 The buddha said to Śāriputra: Bodhisattvas, great beings, from the initial resolve onward, course in the six perfections, dwell in emptiness, the signless, in unmade dharmas, ?? [[[無作法 dcd2《百喻經•索無物喻》：“第二人言無物者，即是無相、無願、無作。”]]] and are able to surpass all śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha levels, dwell on the level of a never-returner and purify the buddhapath.

@194 Śāriputra said to the buddha: What are the levels whereon bodhisattvas, great beings, dwell that, for the sake of śrāvakas, and pratyekabuddhas, they are able to create a field of merit?

@195 The buddha said to Śāriputra: Bodhisattvas, great beings, from the initial resolve onward, course in the six perfections— and so forth to, sit upon the seat of enlightenment, and throughout (this process) they constantly create a field of merit for the sake of śrāvakas, and pratyekabuddhas.

@196 On what basis? Due to the existence of the karmic matrix of bodhisattvas, great beings, all wholesome dharmas in the world arise.

@197 What kind of wholesome dharmas? The ten wholesome paths of action, the five precepts, the eight (laity) precepts for spiritual success, the four trances, the four unlimited states of mind, the four formless attainments— the four applications of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of psychic power, the five dominants, the five powers, the seven limbs of enlightenment, the eightfold path— all appear in the world. On the basis of the karmic matrix of bodhisattvas, great beings, the six perfections, the eighteen kinds of emptiness, the ten powers of a buddha, the four grounds of self-confidence, the four unimpeded cognitions, the eighteen dharmas special to a buddha, the great loving-kindness, the great compassion, the knowledge of all modes— all appear in the world. On the basis of the karmic matrix of bodhisattvas, great beings, great Kṣatriya families, great Brahman families, great families of devotees, the deva-kings of the four heavens, the heaven of neither perception nor non-perception— all appear in the world. On the basis of the karmic matrix of bodhisattvas, great beings, stream-winners, once-returners, never-returners, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and buddhas all appear in the world.

@198 Śāriputra said to the buddha: Do bodhisattvas, great beings, purify to perfection the merit of giving? The buddha said: No, indeed. On what basis? On the basis that its purity was perfect to begin with.

@199 Śāriputra, bodhisattvas, great beings, are the great masters of giving. What kind of things do they give? All the wholesome dharmas. What kind of wholesome dharmas? The ten wholesome paths of action, the five precepts— and so forth to, the eighteen special dharmas, the knowledge of all modes— with these they give.

@200 Śāriputra said to the buddha: Lord, How do bodhisattvas, great beings, ply perfect wisdom, and establish congruence [[[相應]]] with perfect wisdom?

@201 The buddha said to Śāriputra: Bodhisattvas, great beings, who ply the emptiness of form, are called congruent with perfect wisdom— those who ply the emptiness of feeling, perception, impulse, consciousness— are called congruent with perfect wisdom. Moreover, Śāriputra, bodhisattvas, great beings, who ply the emptiness of the eye, are called congruent with perfect wisdom, who ply the emptiness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, mind— are called congruent with perfect wisdom. To ply the emptiness of form, is called congruent with perfect wisdom, to ply the emptiness of sound, scent, taste, touchable, dharmas— is called congruent with perfect wisdom. To ply the emptiness of the eye element, emptiness of the form element, emptiness of the eye consciousness element— is called congruent with perfect wisdom. To ply the emptiness of the ear, sound, and sound consciousness elements, of the nose, scent, and nose consciousness elements, of the tongue, taste, and tongue consciousness elements, of the body, touch, and body consciousness elements, of the mind, dharmas, and mind consciousness element— is called congruent with perfect wisdom. To ply the emptiness of suffering— is called congruent with perfect wisdom. To ply the emptiness of origination, stopping, path— is called congruent perfect wisdom. To ply emptiness of ignorance— is called congruent with perfect wisdom. To ply the emptiness of impulse, consciousness, name and form, the six sense organs, touchable, and feeling, craving, grasping, becoming, birth, old age and death— is called congruent with perfect wisdom. To ply the emptiness of all dharmas, whether it is the emptiness of the conditioned or unconditioned is called congruent with perfect wisdom.

@202 Moreover, Śāriputra, bodhisattvas, great beings, who ply the emptiness of essential nature are called congruent with perfect wisdom. So it is, Śāriputra, bodhisattvas, great beings, who, coursing in perfect wisdom ply the seven kinds of emptiness, namely, essential nature emptiness, own-mark emptiness, emptiness of all dharmas, unfindable emptiness, the emptiness of non-existing dharmas, emptiness of existing dharmas, and the emptiness of both non-existing and existing dharmas, are called congruent with perfect wisdom.

@203 The buddha said to Śāriputra: Bodhisattvas, great beings, while plying the seven kinds of emptiness, do not review form, be it congruent [[[相應]]] or not. They do not review feeling, perception, impulse, or consciousness, be it congruent or not. They do not review form, be it marked by rising or marked by falling. They do not review feeling, perception, impulse, or consciousness, be it marked by rising or marked by falling. They do not review form, be it marked by defiling or marked by purifying. They do not review feeling, perception, impulse, or consciousness, be it marked by defiling or marked by purifying.

@204 They do not review form joining with feeling, nor review feeling joining with perception, nor review perception joining with impulse, nor review impulse joining with consciousness. On what basis? There is no such thing as one dharma joining with another dharma, their essential nature is empty, that is the basis.

@205 Śāriputra, in the emptiness of form there is no form, feeling, perception, impulse, and in the emptiness of consciousness there is no consciousness.

@206 Śāriputra, since form is empty there is no mark of impingement, since feeling is empty there is no mark of feeling, since perception is empty there is no mark of recognition, since impulse [[[saṃskāra: This Conze translation of the name of the fourth skandha is currently 'under review'.]]] is empty there is no mark of being made, since consciousness is empty there is no mark of awareness.

@207 On what basis? Śāriputra, form is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from form; whatever is form that is emptiness, whatever is emptiness that is form; feeling, perception, impulse, and consciousness follow suit.

@208 Śāriputra, All these dharmas marked by emptiness, are not born nor stopped, are not defiled nor immaculate, do not increase nor diminish, and these empty dharmas are not past, future, or present. On this basis, in emptiness there is no form, no feeling, perception, impulse, consciousness, there is no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; no form, sound, smell, taste, touchable, no dharmas. There is no eye element— and so forth to, no mind consciousness element, there is no ignorance, and there is no stopping of ignorance—and so forth to, no decay and death, and no stopping of decay and death; there is no suffering, origination, stopping, path, and there is no cognition, and no attainment. There is no stream-winner, no fruit of a stream-winner, no once-returner, no fruit of a once-returner, no never-returner, no fruit of a never-returner, no arhat, no fruit of an arhat, no pratyekabuddha, no pratyekabuddha path. There is no buddha, and no buddha path. Śāriputra, bodhisattvas, great beings, plying so are said to be congruent with perfect wisdom.